Ryder Cup: Team Europe's Confidential Personality Test
A little known key to Ryder Cup success can be found in the Continent's questionnaire to determine team make up. Sources have provided the 2023 edition to The Quadrilateral.
Much has been made of modern era Ryder Cup teams leaning on analytics to shape Captain’s selections and pairings. Less known to the outside world and revealed here exclusively for the first time: Europe’s use of a personality test to decide which players might be a good team fit.
Who receives the questions and who is left out of the process reportedly proved controversial in parts of the Continent earlier this year when some players felt understandably slighted after failing to receive the exam designed to weed out Europe’s next Patrick Reed. But after significant investigative efforts by The Quad*, two well-placed sources provided the 2023 version crafted so that Captain Luke Donald and his flotilla of Vice Captain’s could better gaze into souls of Ryder Cup eligible golfers.
The questions have been reproduced here from the original online version to circumvent any cookies or other ways the Quad’s sources could be compromised.
Congratulations on taking ten minutes of your valuable time to help Captain Luke Donald better understand your perspective as we prepare to win back the Ryder Cup. The results are confidential and your answers will remain with Captain Donald and the Vice Captains.
Best of luck in your pursuit of a Ryder Cup berth and we hope to see you in Rome!
Q: Who do you view as the greatest Italian Ryder Cup golfer of all time (choose just one)?
A. Costantino Rocca
B. Francesco Molinari
C. Eugenio Saraceni (Gene Sarazen)
D. Mark Calcavecchia
E. Fred Couples
Q: Which of the following Roman emperors is most closely aligned with the inevitable arc of Luke Donald’s Captaincy?
A. Augustus (27 BC to 14 AD) - Rome’s first emperor who ushered in an era of peace, prosperity and appreciation for the arts.
B. Caligula (37-41) - A popular emperor until he became paranoid, overspent and executed rivals before being assassinated by his security detail.
C. Commodus (177 to 192) – Murdered his father, drowned by a wrestler in his bathtub, and was so bonkers only Joaquin Phoenix could play him en route to ending the Nerva–Antonine dynasty.
Q: The Appian Way can best be described as…
A. The largest, widest, fastest road ever created (at the time) to connect Rome with Capua.
B. A road once infamously lined with 6000 crucified slaves.
C. Code name for the proprietary data system developed by Edoardo Molinari to shape Ryder Cup pairings.
D. All of the above.
Q: Of these leaders and heroes, which elicit the most positive vibes (click on as many as you’d like)?
Q: If there was a modern era equivalent to Cicero—best known for upholding “optimate” principles in the face of Roman dictators suppressing the will of the people—who among the following most closely aligns with the great philosopher?
A. Winston Churchill (former UK prime minister)
B. Victor Emmanuel II (former King of Italy)
C. Silvio Berlusconi (former Italian prime minister)
D. Rory McIlroy (Strategic Alliance leader)
Q: Choose the best option to describe the first image that comes to mind when you hear “Pompei”: